Diving in Varadaro Cuba

[keith graham]

I have just returned from Varadaro, Cuba and would warn any members going to cuba (from my own observations) to take at least your own regs.
I took fins, BC, Regs & wet suit and was happy that I had!!
The dive company (infact the ONLY dive company in Varadaro)had equipment that was at best 'past its sell buy date'. BCs that would inflate without control, regs that leaked which compimented the leaking BC :-(
I was buddied up with two divers who were told to disconnect there inflate feeds once they were boyant.
So be warned....

Also what realy shocked me was the apparent lack of concideration fot the enviroment, Divers (and I use the word Divers tounge in cheek) sything through the delicate fern and other corals with there Octopus and depth guages dangling, below them totally obliviour to what damage being done. And more infuriating the Dive Masters not telling them!!

[Dave Hurd]

My fiance and I went to Guardalavaca (south west Cuba) last year and completed a dive course (ACUC) at the Eagle Ray Dive Centre

The dive school was excellent with masses of brand new kit and friendly staff who all spoke English. All of their dive sites are marked by buoys to which their boats moor. Our instructor went beserk at another centre's boat which just chucked an anchor overboard into the reef.

The school was excellent, the diving was unbelievable (28C water at 30m) and the staff there were passionate about the environment.

Varadaro is the Butlins of Cuba...get yourselves down to Cayo Coco or the south west of the island. Absolutely fantastic.